Abstract

A tape printer capable of performing multicolor
printing and permitting an already printed tape to be
rewound for printing two line character trains, bold printing
and adding ornamental frames beside the first printed
character train. The tape printer installs therein a tape
cassette (2) in which is housed a print tape (8) and an ink
ribbon (9) formed with different colored ink portions at a set
pitch in the lengthwise direction of the print tape. An
ink ribbon take up mechanism (24) is provided for taking up ink
ribbon that passes between a platen (25) and a print element (13)
provided external to the cassette. Tape transport mechanism
is provided for transporting the print tape. The tape
printer is constructed so that ink ribbon and the print
tape are transportable in a forward direction for printing,
and the ribbon take up mechanism stops and the platen is
movable away from the printing section when the tape
transport mechanism reversely transports the print tape.